Along the Way
by S.M.Hoffman
Summary: Pre Crystal Skulls: Mutt Williams is the guy your mother warned you about. He's trouble, he dropped school, and he's everything bit like his father, although he doesn't know it. Follow him through the year 1955 and see why he left his mother and home.
1. Mutt Williams

**A/N-**Okay, so this is my first Indy fic...hopefully I'll do it some justice. I've been wanting to write a story for Indy for a while now but I could never think of anything that would work...until I saw the new one. After seeing KotCS, I decided I would write one for Mutt...and thus we come to this wonderful story. I hope you all enjoy it and please leave me some feedback so I know how I'm doing.

Dislcimaer-I own nothing! I may love Indy and all, but I sadly do not own him...same with everyone you may recognize.

* * *

**Along the Way**

**Chapter 1**

**1955**

A groan filled the room as a body rolled over to the side, a thump following as he body fell to the floor. The sheets revealed a 17 year old as the boy sat up, looking around his bedroom. Rubbing the remaining sleep from his eyes, the teenager stood up and took a step forward, only to fall flat on his face.

"Damn it!" he yelled as he rolled on to his back, holding his forehead.

"Watch your language!" the voice of his mother sounded from outside his room.

Rolling his eyes, the teenager stood back up (after untangling himself from his sheets) and got ready for the day. Within a few minutes, he walked into the kitchen and sat at the table as he began eating his breakfast (he was too tired to register what his mother had cooked for him).

"You'll be late for school," she said as she watched her son take his time eating, ignoring her. "Henry..."

"Mom," he looked up from his plate to look at her. "I told you don't call me that...it's Mutt. And no, I'm not going to school...I told you I was dropping it."

"Like hell you are, Henry. You're going to finish your breakfast and get your ass to school."

"Just watch me,"

With the smirk his mother hated so much on his face, Henry 'Mutt' Williams stood up from the table and made his way to the front door. He shrugged on his leather jacket and opened the door, ignoring his mother's calls. It wasn't until he reached the street that he turned around and waved to his mother.

"See later, Marion!" he smiled, knowing he was in trouble.

Mutt shoved his hands into his pockets and made his way down the street, not having any place in mind to go to. His fingers brushed against the few dollar bills he had, ensuring something to eat for lunch. He smiled to a few people as he ran his comb through his dark hair, making sure to not mess it up.

He turned a corner and decided to head into town, not sure what he would do there but anywhere was better than where he was at the moment. It wasn't that he didn't want to get an education, it was just that school wasn't his thing. Mutt could learn more from experience than he could from a book, although no one seemed to understand his logic on learning. Especially his mother.

The teenager knew he was disrespectful towards her at times, but they didn't have a very close relationship anymore. They had started falling out once he turned 15, when he had told her he didn't plan on finishing school. Ever since then, Mutt butted heads with his mother every chance he got. From school to the people he hung around to the way he dressed, all they did was argue. And it wasn't like he had a father to talk to, his father had been shot down over seas...all he had was one of his mother's old friends, even then it wasn't the same.

"I could go see Ox..." Mutt muttered as he kicked at stone. "No. That'd be the first place Mom would go look."

Heaving a sigh, the teenager sat down at a table outside a small café. After ordering a coffee, Mutt looked at the passing crowd of people; most of them giving him a look of disapproval. All he did was give them a fake smile, letting out a chuckle here and there whenever they're expressions worsened.

"Here's your drink, sir."

Mutt thanked the waiter as he took his cup from the waiter, taking a drink from it. He sat in silence, enjoying his coffee, as he thought about what his plans for the day. His dark eyes focused on the table, only looking up when a few shadows fell over him.

"Hey Mutt," the voice of Ben Mazzic reached his ears as he sat across from him, their other two friends standing behind him. "How come you ain't at school?"

"I told you...I was outta that place by this week."

"Aw...little Henry's growing up." Steve laughed at Riley's comment, causing Mutt to roll his eyes; he hated living on the same street with the Lancaster brothers.

"I can't believe your mom let you do that," Steve added after his laughter died out.

"She didn't, but she ain't the boss of me. I'm my own person...I'll do what I want, when I want. And there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it." Mutt puffed out his chest, grinning.

"Alright, kid...let's go do something exciting." Ben stated as he whacked Mutt's shoulder.

"Would you stop calling me that?" he complained as he followed the three down the street.

"What? You are the youngest, Mutt."

"By a week...Jesus." he sighed as he combed his hair again, not even realizing he was doing it anymore. "What are we gonna do? Because obviously I'm too young to decide that..."

"Shut up!" Riley put his arm around his friend's shoulders and pulled his close. "You know something, Mutt...you take way too much care of your hair. I don't even comb it every five minutes."

"I don't do that..." he was cut off as Riley ruffled his hair before running ahead of the other two. "That's it! You're going down, Riley!"

Mutt pushed passed the other two and chased Riley down the street, laughing as his friend ran into people. Luckily, Mutt was quick on his feet maneuvered his way through the crowd of people with ease. He could hear Ben and Steve running after him as Riley began slowing down, none of them could run as long as Mutt could.

"Hey!" Riley yelped as the 17 year old tackled him to the sidewalk, causing everyone to walk around them. "What are you gonna do, Mutt?"

He just laughed and messed up Riley's perfect blonde hair, Ben and Steve soon joining in the laughter as they stood over them. Riley's protest only caused Mutt to torment him more until he found himself flat on his back, Riley kneeling next to him with a smirk on his face.

"Don't. Touch. The. Hair." He laughed as he stood up, helping Mutt to his feet.

"Then don't touch mine," he replied as he combed it back, hoping he could fix it.

"C'mon you two, let's go." Ben rolled his eyes before walking away, the rest following.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Here you go, Mutt. Found you a new hat," Steve yelled as he held up a tan hat, waving it around until Mutt snatched it.

"How do I look?" he asked as he placed it on his head, facing his friends.

Ben just swiped it off his head and shoved it into the teenager's chest, giving him a knowing look. Mutt glanced around him before shoving it inside his jacket, the four of them leaving the store after that. Once they left the area of the store, Mutt pulled out the hat and put it back on his head.

"You never did answer my question," he pointed out as he made his way between Riley and Ben.

"You really want us to answer that?" Ben raised an eyebrow as they made their way towards Mutt's street.

"Not really." He answered, looking up at the night sky. "Mom's gonna kill me when I get home."

"What happened to _I'm my own person...I'll do what I want, when I want. And there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it_?" Steve asked as he ran into someone. "Hey! Watch it!"

Mutt just rolled his eyes and changed the subject, focused on how he was going to get into the house without his mother catching him. The whole way back, he didn't really pay attention to what his friends were saying but they wouldn't have known that. Within 15 minutes, Mutt was walking towards the front door; hoping that the door was unlocked. He gripped the doorknob and turned, sighing in relief when the door opened.

Waving goodbye to the other three, the 17 year old entered the house and expected to see his mother standing in the hall waiting to yell at him. But there was no sign of her. Mutt took off his hat and looked into the living room from around the corner. She wasn't there either.

"Must be sleeping," he whispered as he made his to the kitchen.

Tossing his hat on to the counter, the teenager opened the fridge and rummaged for something to snack on. When he found nothing, he kept looking as if something would materialize in front of him.

"Where have you been, Mutt?"

"Shit!" he jumped at the sound of her voice, mumbling an apology when she glared at him. "I was with the guys, Mom. Relax...I didn't get into any trouble. This time."

"You were suppose to be at school," she said, standing on the other side of the counter.

"I told you I wasn't going, Mom. I'm not cut out for that...all those rules and blah blah blah! And besides, those other kids ain't as half as smart as me." He explained, shutting the fridge door.

"You were suppose to be home over an hour ago, Henry."

"My name isn't Henry, Mom. It's Mutt." He looked at her, knowing this was just adding on to the reasons for her to be mad at him. "I'm going to bed. Night."

He grabbed the hat and made his way out of the kitchen, making a point to ignore her calls. Once he reached his room and slammed the door behind him, Mutt put his hat on the bedside table, throwing his jacket to the floor and kicking off his boots. Letting out a sigh, he flopped on to his bed and looked up at the ceiling as a million thoughts ran through his head. Silence filled the room, only to be broken by the sound of his mother opening the creaky door.

"Henry..." she said softly, sighing when he didn't answer her. "Mutt."

He propped himself up on his elbows to look at her, not saying anything.

"I worry about you, that's the only reason why I act the way I do." She explained, walking into his room.

"Mom..." he sighed as she sat on the foot of his bed.

"There are just some qualities in you that get you into so much trouble, and the fact that you want to go and be rebel doesn't help that worry."

"Nothing's going to happen to me, Mom." Mutt moved to sit next to her, looking at the floor. "It's not like I'm gonna run off and get myself into danger. I promise."

He looked up at her, wanting to show her he meant it. It was true that there were times when he couldn't stand her and thought about leaving. It was also true that everything he did, he did because she objected to it. But the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. He didn't want to be one of those people who stopped talking to their parents for 20 years.

"I just don't want to lose you like I lost your father," she pulled him into a hug, placing a kiss on the side of his head.

"You won't." he whispered, hugging her back.

He may not have had the best relationship with his mother, but Mutt loved her and would do anything to make her happy. After a few more seconds, he was left alone again to get some sleep. The teenager let out a sigh as he laid back down, thinking a million different things again. It only took a few minutes for him to begin to feel tired, and shortly after that he was fast asleep.

* * *

So I'm sorry if the first chapter isn't very exciting, but I needed to establish everything. And in case you guys are wondering, no...Mutt is not going to rush off on some adventure...it sorta finds him. And another thing, this story is the first in a series of three...so hopefully you guys will like this one enough for that to happen.

Reviews are welcomed...and so is constructive critism.

S.M.Hoffman


	2. A Day In The Life

**A/N-**Since everyone responded well to the first chapter, I'm rewarding you with an update. Not much to say in this note except for a big thank you to the people who have reviewed and told me how much they love tis story. Thanks! And now, enjoy!

Dislcimaer-I own nothing! I may love Indy and all, but I sadly do not own him...same with everyone you may recognize.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"What's so special about this guy anyways?" Mutt asked as he looked at the newspaper article his mother had just finished reading. "It's not like he's saved the world or anything...he's just found some old stuff that used to belong to dead guys. Nothing special,"

"It's complicated, Mutt. He happens to be the best in his field." She responded as she cleaned up the kitchen.

"Sure," the teenagers rolled his eyes as he took in the black and white photo of the man that had been the center of their conversation. "And what's with the hat? Does it give him special powers?"

He started chuckling, only to stop when he noticed the look his mother was giving him. He placed the newspaper back on the table and leaned back in his chair, running the comb through his hair. His eyes glanced back at the article, there was just something about it that caught his interest.

"It has to be nice though," he muttered.

"What does?"

"Finding all that fortune and glory...I wouldn't mind finding stuff like that." Mutt explained as he stood up from his chair, leaning over the counter. "What else has this guy found that you know of?"

"Lots of things, Mutt." She looked at him, smiling at the sparkle in his eyes. "One of them being the Ark of the Covenant, but that was before you were born."

Mutt nodded his head before he made his way out of the kitchen, heading towards his room to grab his jacket and hat. He was surprised that his mother seemed to be okay with him not continuing his education, or she was keeping the disappointment to herself; something she did often when it came to him. He reappeared in a few minutes, ready to go and explore the small city he called home.

"Be safe, Mutt." He heard her call as he left the house, smiling when he saw his friends waiting for him.

"What's kept you, Mutt?" Ben asked as he walked towards them.

"I was having a conversation with my mom about this archaeologist that was in the paper..." he replied as the four walked down the street.

"I read about him...I thought he seemed kinda okay." Steve said. "He's gotta be rich from all the things he's found."

"He's not...my mom told me he never keeps what he finds." Mutt corrected, adjusting his hat.

"How would she know?" Riley asked, not believing Mutt. "Has she met this guy?"

"Maybe she has...my mom's done a lot of crazy things when she was younger. For all I know, she could've been friends with this guy before I was born."

"Has she ever mentioned him?" Ben pointed out, intrigued now.

"No...I've never heard her say the name Dr.Jones before. Not until this morning anyways...she knew a lot about him." The 17 year old kicked at a lose stone on the sidewalk.

"Oh well...c'mon." Riley shrugged as he walked faster and turned around. "I've got something to show you guys."

The three of them stopped and looked at the blonde, curious at what it was he found. Mutt and Ben looked at Steve for a hint, but all the Lancaster brother did was shrugged. Mutt looked back at Riley, his head titled to the side.

"Care to elaborate?" he raised an eyebrow when his friend remained silent.

"You'll just have to follow me to see what it is," he smiled before walking again, the rest following.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Riley?" Mutt called as they entered the junk yard, the three looking out for any dogs that could rip them apart. "There's nothing here!"

The blonde just shook his head and waved them to follow him. Ben muttered something to Steve, causing Mutt to look over at them; he had a feeling they were talking about him. When he saw them looking at him, he just turned back around and went on following his friend.

"Now, stay here." Riley ordered as they stopped, giving the other two a look.

"Wait...why?" Mutt asked, worrying about getting caught.

"You'll see...Ben and Steve, come with me. I need your help." Mutt watched as his friends disappeared from his sight, leaving him alone.

The teenager aimlessly kicked at a few pieces of scrap, hoping that someone wouldn't walk by and get him into trouble. He sat on the dirt, looking around the junk as he waited. Minutes passed and still no sign of the other three.

"What the hell is taking..." he was cut off by the sound of running feet as he clambered to his feet.

"Mutt!" that was Steve's voice.

The 17 year old ran to meet his friend, hearing the panic in his voice.

"Mutt...Riley needs help...no time to explain." He gasped as they took off running the way Steve came from.

Mutt had never ran so fast in his life as he followed Steve, only to skid to a halt when he saw his other two friends.

"Shit..." he grumbled as he saw Riley under a good size of junk metal. "What happened?"

"Steve's idiot brother here was climbing up that and then..." Ben began as he struggled to lift the metal. "Can you give me a hand?"

Mutt hurried to where Riley was under the rusted metal and gripped the edge, struggling to pull it up. Even with the two of them, it was difficult to get the metal off of the blonde. All Steve did was stand there and watch his brother be crush under the scrap.

"Steve! Don't stand there...pull him out, damn it!" Mutt yelled as him and Ben got the metal to a good height. "Steve! Move your ass!"

Steve ran over to his brother and grabbed his arms, dragging him out from the junk just as the other two dropped it. Mutt fell to the ground while Ben stormed over to the brothers, glaring at them. He looked over to see Riley rubbing his leg, no doubt having broken it or something, as Steve backed away from Ben.

"What was the point of that, Riley!" Ben shouted as Mutt made his way over to the pile of junk Riley had attempted to climb.

He looked up at the top, ignoring the argument going on behind him. He squinted in the sunlight as something glinted in the sun, it wasn't a bright glint but Mutt was sure that if he polished it...

"Mutt!" Steve yelled as he began to climb up the pile.

"Jesus, Henry! Didn't you learn from me?" Riley called up as Mutt continued to climb the junk, determined to reach whatever it was that was shining.

He managed to get a good grip of the top and pulled himself up, looking for the object that made him do the stunt. A grin spread across his face as his eyes fell on it.

"Riley! What was it that you were trying to get?" he yelled back down, looking over his shoulder.

"Why?" the blonde asked, trying to stand up; only to fall back down.

"Just tell me!" he snapped, looking back at the top of what looked like a motorcycle.

"It was a motorcycle!" he finally answered. "Did you find it?"

"Yeah...I just need to move all this stuff and..." he grunted as he tossed some of the lighter junk down. "Anyone wanna give me a hand?"

He continued to move some things, only to stop when he didn't hear a reply. Mutt let out a sigh and looked back down, only to find Ben and Steve gone as Riley struggled to crawl away from whatever it was. The teenager looked around and his shoulders slumped as he saw two guard dogs sniffing their way over to where they were.

"Great." He muttered as he made his way back down, careful not to make a sound (and not to fall).

He was almost to the ground when his hand slipped on a jagged piece of junk, causing him to yelp in pain and fall to his back. Mutt looked at his hand and cursed when he saw the jagged cut across his palm. Climbing to his feet, he walked over to Riley and hauled him to his feet, supporting him on his shoulders.

"Ummm...Mutt..." the blonde began as he looked over his shoulder. "You might wanna start running now."

"Why..." he was cut off by a deep growl from behind them, causing him to turn around. "Nice dogs..."

The two stood and stared at the growl dogs, slowly backing away. Every step they took back, the dogs took a step forward.

"Riley," the teenager whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Can you run?"

"I kinda have to, don't I?"

Mutt began to turn back around with Riley, slowly walking forward. Within a few steps, the two were running away from the snarling guard dogs. Mutt was surprised at how fast Riley ran with an injured leg, only stumbling a few times.

"Hurry up!" Riley shouted as they came closer to the chained fence, Ben and Steve on the other side.

The other two continued to run, the dogs catching up no doubt. Mutt began to grin when they came closer, not entirely worried anymore. He chanced a glance behind to see the dogs gaining on them, tripping over a piece of junk as he did so.

"C'mon!" Ben yelled as they clambered to their feet, Mutt feeling the top of his head.

"My hat!" he shouted as he pushed Riley forward.

"Mutt...forget the hat!" Riley stopped and looked back at his friend. "You can get another one,"

"Go on, stupid! I'll be right there," the 17 year old waved him on as he ran back, grabbing his hat and taking back off in the other direction.

His fingers gripped the tan hat as he focused on the fence, Riley just now getting to the other side. Mutt heard the one of the dogs snap at him, which made him pick up speed. Between the snaps and growls of the two dogs chasing him and his friends yelling for him to run faster, Mutt was shocked that he could hear his pounding heart so clearly.

"Mutt...c'mon!" Riley yelled as Mutt jumped on to the fence, scrambling up it as the two dogs jumped on to it; trying to get him.

Once he was sure that he was safe, the 17 year old looked down at the dogs and laughed. He held his hat out before putting it back on his (messy, he was sure of it) hair as he continued to look at the dogs.

"Ain't so tough now, huh?" he yelled at them, hanging on to the fence with one hand.

"Mutt...if you fall down, no one's saving you." Ben warned as he watched his friend be stupid.

"Don't worry, Ben. I'm always careful...whoa!" he grabbed the fence with his other hand as he lost his footing.

"You were saying?" Ben gasped between his laughter as Mutt dropped down next to him.

"Shut up. I'm heading home to get this cut cleaned." He shook his head and made his way back home.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Mutt examined the job he did of wrapping his hand, his feet up on the kitchen table. His mother was out doing whatever it was that she did, he didn't care. It was a decent job of bandaging the wound he had decided.

"Now to hide this from Mom..." he said as he looked it over again.

"Hide what from Mom?"

Mutt put his injured hand under the table and dropped his feet to the floor, smiling at his mother.

"Nothing...what makes you think I wanna hide something from you, Mom?" he asked, putting on an innocent expression.

"I just thought you said something about hiding something from me...that's all." His mother smiled, placing a kiss on the top of his head.

"Nope...didn't say a thing." He lied, trying to hide the nervousness. "You must be hearing things in your old age, Mom."

"You're right, Mutt." She agreed as she patted his shoulder and started putting the groceries away. "I also must be seeing things in my old age, don't you think?"

He opened his mouth, trying to think of how to answer that. It could've been a trick question, but then again it also could be just a regular question.

"What makes you say that?" he ran the comb through his hair, careful to not use his wrapped hand.

"Because I could have sworn I saw blood on your shirt and in the sink. Not to mention the bandage on your hand," she answered, looking over her shoulder at her son. "Want to tell me what happened?"

"Nothing happened, Mom. I was just goofing off with the guys..." he answered, now looking at his hand.

"Henry." His eyes shifted up to her and he tried not to squirm under her gaze.

"Marion." He replied, smirking slightly.

"Fine. You don't want to tell me, then you can just go to your room and stay there for the rest of the week."

"But Mom!" Mutt jumped to his feet and looked at her. "That's not fair!"

"Then tell me what happened," she turned to face him, making him feel like a small child; even though he was taller than she was.

"We went to the junk yard and I cut my hand on a piece of metal..." the sentence died as he got ready to be lectured, but surprisingly his mother didn't say a word.

He looked up from the floor to see her expression, and he wished she would have just yelled at him. Mutt let out a small sigh as he looked at her disappointed face, shuffling his feet as the silence dragged on.

"Mom...say something," he pleaded, wanting the silence to be over.

"I'll let you know when supper's ready, Henry." Was all she said as she turned her back on him, preparing to make dinner.

Mutt sighed and turned away, heading for his room. He hated whenever his mother didn't say anything after one of his stunts and gave that look, the look that told him how disappointed she was with him. The 17 year old stopped at the doorway to the kitchen and put his good hand against the door frame as he looked over his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I know you don't want me going there..." his voice was small.

"You're damn right I don't!" she yelled, turning to look at him. "You could get arrested for that. It's called trespassing, Henry. How do you think your father would feel if his son was arrested for something he knew not to do?"

He hated when she said that, almost as much as he hated her silence and look. He just looked back to floor as he thought it over.

"I don't know," was all he could think of. "Nothing I guess."

"Nothing?" he was now looking back at her.

"Yeah, nothing. You know why, Mom? Because Dad's dead, that's why." He crossed the line, but he didn't care now. "So stop asking me what he would do if this and that happened to me because he can't do shit because he's dead!"

The silence rang as he looked at her, waiting for her reply. When none came, Mutt stomped to his room and slammed his door as hard as he could. He sat on his bed and did little things to pass the time. It wasn't until his stomach growled that he realized that it was dark outside and his mother never told him dinner was ready. Sighing, the teenager left his room and made his way to the kitchen.

"Hey Marion...what's the deal with din..." he stopped mid-sentence when he saw everything cleaned up and his mother reading the paper from that morning. "Mom?"

"Your supper's in the fridge." Her voice was cold and unnerving. "Have a good night,"

Mutt watched her leave the kitchen with the paper, not moving until he heard her door close. He went to where his dinner was waiting for him, only to find nothing in the fridge.

"Son of a bitch," he whispered as he closed the fridge door and walked back to his room.

Once he closed his door and sat at the desk he had, his eyes went to the photo of his mother (smiling, which was something she rarely did now) and his father. Sighing, Mutt pulled out one of the books Ox had given him for Christmas a few years back and began reading it. Hopefully things would be better in the morning.

* * *

So what did you guys think of this chapter? It's a little longer cos the first was received with good reviews, I wasn't expecting that.

Did you know that every you review, a certain archaeologist saves the world while also finding artifacts…and making history cool? Please help keep this possible by reviewing.

Reviews are welcomed...and so is constructive critism.

S.M.Hoffman


	3. Fortune And Glory

**A/N-**So another quick update, hope you guys are enjoying this story so far. This chapter is as long as the last one, but it's a very important chapter so I think the events make up for the shortness. Another thanks to the people who have been giving me feedback...it's gratefully welcomed.

Dislcimaer-I own nothing! I may love Indy and all, but I sadly do not own him...same with everyone you may recognize.

* * *

**Chapter 3**

The sound of a fist pounding on his bedroom made Mutt jerked awake, his skin ripping from the page he had used as a pillow for the night. He stretched as a yawn escaped his mouth, the pounding causing a headache as he staggered to the door.

"Good, you're up." Was the words that greeted him as he opened the door for his mother. "I'll be gone for most of the day helping Ox with something. I don't want you to leave the house, Henry."

Before Mutt had a chance to say anything, his mother was out of sight and out the door. He stood in his door way and listened to her car leave the house, realization that she was still mad at him hitting him.

"Good morning to you too," he grumbled to the house as he made his way to the kitchen, deciding to make some toast for him (the only thing he knew how to cook).

As he waited for his breakfast, the teenager fixed his hair as best he could for the moment before checking his hand. He unwrapped it and grimaced at the wound, quickly wrapping it back up as his toast was done. Mutt didn't bother to grab a plate, he ate his breakfast over the counter and pushed the crumbs on to the floor before getting ready for his day.

Just as he pulled his shirt over his head, a knock on the front door echoed throughout the house. The 17 walked towards the door, combing his hair back, and opened it to be greeted by Ben and Steve.

"C'mon Mutt." Ben said as he made to leave the house.

"I can't," he said, noticing that Riley was missing. "Where's Riley?"

"Broke his leg..." Steve started.

"What do you mean you can't?" Ben interrupted.

"I got into serious trouble last night and I can't leave the house."

"Since when did you listen to your mom?" Steve wondered as Ben came back.

"Since last night...at least until we're back on good terms." Mutt muttered. "I'll see you guys later,"

He closed the door quickly, knowing that he talked them any longer he would leave the house. The teenager looked around the house, trying to think of ways of entertaining himself until his mother came home. For a while, he just stood in front of the door and just thought.

"Now I wish I was at school." He sighed as he walked into the living room and flopped on to the couch. "At least I'd have something to do today,"

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Mutt had been laying on the couch, reading the same book from the night before, for a few hours and he was almost finished with the extremely thick book. He let out a yawn as he placed the book on his stomach, his eyes looking around the room. It wasn't that he found what he was reading boring, he just couldn't read all day. After a few moments, the teenager picked up the book and dog-eared the page before placing it down on the table. He sat up and looked at the floor, trying to think of something to do.

He got to his feet and made his way to his room, stopping as his gaze fell on the door that led to his mother's room. There was something about the room that appealed to him, almost as of there was something that was calling him. Mutt hesitated before walking towards his mother's room, wanting to satisfy his urge to go where he wasn't allowed. As the teenager began to turn the door knob, he felt a rush of adrenaline pump through his veins at the thought of going in the room. He knew it was childish, but he wanted to know what secrets she kept in her room.

The door opened and he stood in the door way, taking in the room. A photo on the bed side caught his attention as he took a step into the room, a sad smile drying on his face once he realized it was a picture of his parents from their wedding. Mutt picked up the frame and looked at the image the glass protected, almost forgetting why he had entered the room as he looked at his parents' smiling faces. Almost. Placing the picture back on the wooden surface, the 17 year old walked over to the closet and opened it. His eyes searched the small area as he moved aside his mother's clothes, not finding anything of interest.

Normally he would have given up, but there was something that kept him from leaving. He gazed up and saw a few boxes on the top shelf, one of them not labeled. Reaching for the box, Mutt was sprinkled with dust as he pulled the box down, coughing as he stumbled backwards. He sat down (once he caught his breath) with the box in front of him, the top slightly tilted. Mutt looked around the room, as if his mother would appear out of nowhere, before taking the top off and looking inside.

Disappointment settled in him as he saw a bunch of hand drawn maps, papers, and so on...stuff that Ox kept. But nevertheless Mutt shifted the papers aside as he looked inside, not bothering to ready the papers or look at the small photos. He was about to give up when he saw something gold at the bottom, sparking his interest. The 17 year old pulled it out of the old box and grinned, running a finger over the carved symbols in the gold before touching the stone in the middle.

"Looks like a ruby," he whispered as he got to his feet, placing the medallion (at least that's what it looked like to him) on the bed.

Mutt put the top back on and put the box back in its rightful place. After he closed the closet, he grabbed the gold and made his way to his room as he continued to stare at it. He sat on his bed and turned it over in his hands, examining the symbols. Did he know what it was? Of course not, but that didn't mean he didn't have to not like it. There was something about it that made it _that_ more appealing to him.

"It's gotta be worth a lot," he told himself as he continued to look at it, not able to take his eyes from it. "I could sell it and Mom would never know. I doubt she even knows what's in that box..."

He let his sentence trail off as he shut his door, trying to keep out the world from what he had found. Minutes went by and all Mutt did was stare at the medallion, oblivious to everything else. His mind went back to the books Ox had given and he began to think of a way to sample some of that fortune and glory. At the sound of footsteps walking down the hall, the teenager's head snapped up and his eyes locked on to the door knob as it began to turn. Quickly, Mutt shoved the gold piece under his mattress and jumped to his feet as the door opened.

"Mutt, didn't you hear me calling your name?" were the first words out of his mother's mouth.

"Sorry, Mom. I was just waking up from a nap." He replied as he followed her into the kitchen. "How was work?"

"It was fine," it was obvious she was still mad at him.

"What did Ox want you to do?"

"Same as always," she answered as she walked back into the living room, picking up his book and shoving it into his chest. "How many times have I told you not to leave your things lying around the house?"

"A few times," he muttered as he looked at the leather cover.

"I'll call you when supper's ready." It wasn't part of a normal conversation, it was a dismissal.

Mutt just nodded his head and began to walk away, only stopping when a thought occurred to him. He knew his mother, and this could go on for days if not weeks. He didn't think he could take another night of no dinner.

"Mom," he said as he turned around, thinking of something to say. "I am sorry...about everything."

"So you've told me, Henry." He cringed at the fact she went back to calling him by his real name.

"I am trying, honest. It's just that..." he sighed as he set the book down on the table and leaned against the wall. "You know what I'm like. I can't just stay still. I need excitement, and all these rules I have to follow..."

He stopped to allow her to say anything, continuing when she went on preparing dinner.

"I know what I did yesterday was wrong and I know you worry about me, but..." he was trying to find a way a putting what he had next to say. "I just can't be like Dad, I can't be the perfect person who does what he's expected to do...I mean I'll do that, but I have to draw the line at some point Mom."

"Do you think that you can just run off and have adventures like the ones you were told as a child?" her voice was distant, but he took no notice. "Because let me tell you something Henry Williams...life is not an adventure story. You can spend your whole life looking for excitement and sure, you may find it Henry but it won't be how you imagined it to be."

Mutt looked at the floor and let her words sink in. He opened his mouth, but closed it; not wanting another argument.

"But I can't just stay here and be someone I'm not, Mom." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop himself. "And doing what I'm supposed to do like go to school, get a job, get married, and so on...it's boring! What if I don't want to go to school or get married?"

"Why would you say that?" she was looking at him now.

"It'll take the excitement out of life because...because..." he stopped to think about what he had to say, careful to avoid anything that would get him into even more trouble. "Because going to school is basically saying 'Yeah, I don't really care about who I am. I'm willing to change that because society says I don't belong'. And getting married? It wouldn't matter if I wanted to or not,"

"And why is that, Henry?"

"I wouldn't be able to find a woman who would be willing to put up with me and my desire for excitement. If I did get married, it probably wouldn't work out." He finished, not really sure how anything he had just said related to the fact that he was trying to be a good son. "The point is Mom, I'm sorry about who I am. But I really am trying to be half the son you want me to be,"

There was a moment of silence before Mutt was enveloped into his mother's arms as she held him close.

"I don't want you to be anyone else, Mutt." She told him as she looked at him, smiling. "I wouldn't want you to behave any other way,"

"But you're always complaining..." now he was confused.

"Yes but you keep my life exciting, Mutt. I've plenty of adventures before you were born, but raising you is my best adventure by far." He was pulled into another hug.

"Mom, please." He laughed as he ducked out of her embrace. "It's getting to mushy for me,"

All she did was laugh as Mutt combed back his hair, having realized that it had gotten messy within the last 10 minutes. The 17 year old turned to leave the kitchen, wanting to make sure the medallion was well hidden.

"And Mutt," her voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Yes?" he looked back at his mother, who was still smiling as she looked at him.

"You are every bit like your father," she assured him. "Don't ever think differently."

"I won't," he promised as he left the kitchen, grabbing the book on his way out.

He threw the book on to his bed once he entered his room and pulled the medallion from under the mattress. He just couldn't believe that something so valuable (not doubt) had been in his mother's closet the whole time for who knows how long. A small grin came to the teenager's features as he thought over his plans for the next day, knowing perfectly well how he was going to spend his day.

"Fortune and glory..." he whispered as he placed the gold back under the mattress.

Mutt grabbed the book and made his way back into the living room, planning on finishing his book before he went to bed.

* * *

I can't think of anything witty to put here expect that if you review, you'll get a cool something that is so cool I can't even think of what it is.

Reviews are welcomed...and so is constructive critism.

S.M.Hoffman


	4. Under Pressure

**A/N-**So another quick update, hope you guys are enjoying this story so far. This chapter is longer than the last since everyone has been awesome and telling me they want more. So here it is. Another thanks to the people who have been giving me feedback...it's gratefully welcomed.

Dislcimaer-I own nothing! I may love Indy and all, but I sadly do not own him...same with everyone you may recognize.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Mutt waited for his mother to leave before grabbing the medallion and putting it into his jacket's pocket, placing his hat on his head as he left the house. He kept his hand on the medallion as he walked down the street, hoping it would be quick. It was wrong and he knew it, but he wanted a taste of that fortune and glory even more than fixing his relationship with his mother.

"I thought you couldn't leave your house," Steve appeared next to Mutt, his usual smile on his face.

"I'm going to the museum and then back home," he replied, his grip tightening in his pocket.

"Why are you going there?"

"I can't tell you, Steve."

"Who would I tell?" Mutt looked over at his friend, raising an eyebrow. "Okay, forget that statement...I just wanna know, Mutt."

"Fine, but you can't tell anyone Steve. I mean it!" the teenager stopped as he turned to face his friend, knowing he would regret it later. "I'm giving this to the museum,"

He pulled out the medallion and held it between them, looking from the gold to his friend and back. Mutt let out a small chuckle at Steve's expression, proof that the item in his hands was extraordinary.

"I bet you could get rich with that thing," Steve looked up as Mutt put it back into his pocket.

"Maybe, but I'm pretty sure it belongs in a museum." Mutt replied as they continued to walk towards his destination.

"Where'd you find it?"

"It doesn't matter," that was the end of that conversation.

They continued to walk to the museum as Mutt told him about his reasons for taking the medallion there. It wasn't until Mutt realized how hungry he was that he remembered how far of a walk the museum was from his house.

"Can we take the short cut?" Steve asked as he combed his hair back. "It'll save us a lot of time, Mutt."

"Where is it?" he questioned, having a feeling of where it was.

"The junkyard," Steve turned the corner, Mutt following, and began to go to the junkyard.

"Steve, I think we should just walk the whole way."

"What's the matter, Henry? Are you afraid of those dogs?" now he was provoking Mutt.

"No, I don't want to get caught and arrested." He replied as they stopped in front of it.

"We could check out that motorcycle," now it was tempting.

"We'll cut through, but no stopping. That motorcycle is probably a piece of junk like everything else in that place." He gave in as they hopped the fence. "Now be quite,"

The two silently made their way to the back of the junkyard, Mutt trying to hurry out of the area. Mutt tried his best to ignore Steve's snickers and picked up his pace.

"Ah c'mon, Mutt! Nothing's gonna happen," Steve called as he stopped and walked towards one of the piles, picking a piece of metal. "See?"

The 17 year old took a step forward as Steve threw the piece of metal across the yard, laughing at the loud clang it made. Mutt marched over to his friend and glared at him, making sure no dogs were around.

"I told you to be quite, Steve." He snapped as he stopped right in front of him. "And throwing crap around isn't exactly being quite,"

"Nothing's gonna happen, believe me. Want me to prove it again?"

"No Steve, that's not nes..." Mutt began as panic took over.

"Hey!" Steve yelled, cupping his hands by his mouth. "Is anyone here?"

The teenager sighed and shook his head.

"See? Doesn't matter because..." the sentence died off as a large clang rang out with a few barks, cutting him off.

Mutt turned around before looking right back at his friend with a look of annoyance.

"I'll deal with you later." He growled as he pointed a finger at him. "Now let's get outta here,"

The two took off running as the barks and growls grew louder, shouts mingled in with the dogs. Remembering the last time he ran from the dogs, Mutt grabbed his hat and held on to it. As they got closer to the fence, the more the 17 year old began to worry about the medallion and his mother finding out about what he was doing. He put a hand in the pocket to assure himself it was still there, only to find nothing inside. Panic quickly took over as he stopped running and checked all his pockets.

"Shit!" he grunted as he looked at the ground around him.

"Mutt...c'mon, we've gotta leave now!" Steve urged as he pulled at his arm.

"I lost the medallion, Steve. I've gotta find that thing and fast," he explained, pulling his arm away from his friend. "You go ahead and get out of here, I need to find it."

Before anything else was said, Mutt ran off to search for the medallion. He didn't run very fast in fear of passing it or kicking it away from him, aware of the fact that he could very well get caught. The sounds of running feet (and paws) were coming right towards him and he began panicking again. Running behind a pile of junk, Mutt waited until they passed to continue his search.

"If I lose that thing, I'm done for." he whispered as he retraced his steps, looking for anything gold. "This is hopeless. I'm gonna kill Steve for this...'let's take the short cut through the junkyard. Nothing's gonna happened'...I swear..."

Just as a glint of red caught his eye, Mutt ran over to the gleaming object. A grin came to his face as he kneeled down and picked up the medallion, a sigh of relief leaving him. Slowly standing up, two deep growls made him freeze as his breathing became rapid. The teenager turned around and saw the guard dogs in front of him, the owner (his nametag read 'Frank') standing in the middle of the dogs. Mutt carefully put the hat back on his head and moved the hand holding the medallion towards his pocket, a nervous smile replacing the grin.

"What do we have hear?" Frank asked, a sickening smile of his grimy face. "Looks like another punk ass kid breaking into our place."

Mutt looked around where he was standing, looking for someone else. When he saw no one, the 17 year old realized he was talking to the dogs. At that he began laughing.

"Are you talking to the dogs?" he laughed, his hands clutching his sides as he doubled over.

The dogs barked and he stopped laughing, standing up straight.

"I could call the cops on you," the owner drawled as he walked over to him, eyeing him up and down.

The teenager moved his up in the air when the dogs snapped at him, his heart pounding against his ribcage. His grip tightened on the object as Frank's beady eyes traveled to that hand. Mutt's eyes snapped to his face as a huge grin (showing his yellow teeth) came over his face, causing Mutt to bring the medallion to his chest protectively.

"But I might just let you go if you give me that nice piece of gold you've got in your hand,"

"Like hell I will, you greedy bastard." Mutt answered.

"Then I guess I'll be calling them nice folks in uniform," his breath reeked and caused his hostage (as Mutt saw it) to gag at the smell. "I'm sure it'd be a real shame for your mother to get you from the station. Now...I'll be taking that."

Mutt's eyes looked at the man's out stretched hand, a sense of disgust rising in him. With a sigh, he handed over his mother's medallion as he hung his head in defeat. It was then he noticed the dogs had left, and he couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the situation.

"What's so funny?"

The 17 year old raised his head up and smirked. In a way, he felt sorry for what he was about to do to the man in front; but it so left. Forming a fist, he brought his foot down (hard) on to the junkyard owner's foot before throwing a punch to the man's jaw. As Frank recovered from the attack, Mutt grabbed the medallion out of his dirty hands and started running. He took a few steps forward before skidding to a stop as the two dogs ran at him, sending Mutt running back the other way.

He hit something solid and fell back, the medallion landing next to him. The teenager made to grab it, but a boot came down on his reaching hand. Holding in a cry of pain, he gazed up to find Frank sneering down at him.

"Are you going to give it to me, or would you rather be arrested?"

Mutt reluctantly nodded his head and got to his feet once the man's foot was removed from his hand. He looked at the owner and clenched his jaw to keep from doing anything stupid.

"If I catch you in here again," he shoved a finger into his chest, causing him to take a step back from the force. "I will not hesitate to call the cops. Okay?"

"Go to hell," he growled, his eyes not leaving the hand held the medallion.

"Get out of my sight before I change my mind,"

Mutt just waved him off as he turned to leave, ignoring the growled of the dogs. He made his way to where Steve was waiting for him, a feeling of dejection washing over him. As he climbed the fence, he noticed his friend's expression and just shook his head.

"C'mon Steve, let's head back home." He sighed as he began walking back towards his house, his hands shoved into his pockets.

"What? Why?" Steve asked, catching up to his friend. "What happened to the medallion?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Mutt..."

He didn't answer as he continued to walk down the sidewalk.

"Henry!"

"What?"

"Tell me why we're not going to the museum." Steve pushed Mutt back, both of them standing still.

"Fine...here's why we aren't going there," Mutt began, walking up to him. "Because when I dropped the medallion, the guy who owns that place took it from me!"

"Why did you let him do that?" Steve questioned, one eyebrow raised.

"If I hadn't, he was gonna have me arrested! This is your fault, Steve!" he yelled as he shoved his friend back. "If you hadn't suggested taking that damn short cut, then this wouldn't have happened!"

"So what? You're not gonna have your name in the paper...get over it!" Steve pushed him back.

"It's not that, Steve!" Mutt shoved him harder, letting out all his anger. "That medallion belonged to my mom! And now, I don't have it!"

"Your point?" Steve rubbed his shoulder where the teenager had pushed him.

Mutt looked at his friend with a blank expression. Within a few seconds, he was shaking his head and laughing as he walked up to him.

"You just don't get it, do you Steve? Let me explain this to you so you can understand,"

"I'm not stupid, Mutt."

"Really? Well you could have fooled me!" he yelled.

"Just tell me what the problem is!" Steve yelled back, getting fed up with his friend's behavior.

"If my mom goes into her closet and looks through the box I found the medallion in, she'll find it's not there. And just to make sure you get my point...SHE DOESN'T KNOW I TOOK THE DAMN THING!" Mutt gave Steve a good hard push, watching him fall to the ground.

"Jesus, Henry." Steve grumbled as he got back to his feet. "I'm sorry you're a thief and all, but don't blame me for losing it!"

Mutt flew on to the pavement as Steve shoved him back, his head hitting the sidewalk as he landed. The 17 year old propped himself up on his elbows and looked up at Steve, his anger finally coming out. He jumped to his feet and tackled his friend to the ground, sending blow after blow to Steve's face. With every punch he threw, all of his anger from the past few years came out. The two went on fighting for a few good minutes before someone picked them up off the ground and held them away from each other, Mutt still struggling to get to Steve.

"What's the cause of all this?"

The teenager looked up to see a police officer holding them apart and he stopped struggling, shrugging out of the officer's grip. He picked up his hat from the ground and put it back on his head, glaring at Steve.

"Nothing, sir." Mutt muttered as he looked back to him. "It was a misunderstanding,"

"He's right, sir." Steve agreed as he got out of the officer's grip as well. "We didn't mean any harm. In fact, we were just heading home now."

The two walked off, Mutt wiping the blood from his mouth as Steve held his bleeding nose. The walk was silent until they reached their street, Mutt laughing again. Steve stopped and looked at him, afraid of another fight.

"I'm sorry, Steve." He managed between his fit of laughter. "You know me...I lost my temper."

"It's alright...I did the same." He took one look at Mutt and began laughing as well. "I guess we both kinda did damage to each other."

"No kidding," they were both laughing now.

Once the laughter died out, they began walking again in silence.

"What are you gonna do about the medallion?" Steve finally asked.

"In a few days, I'm going back in there and taking it. I don't care if I get arrested, as long as I have it back..." he stopped as he approached his house. "I'll see you later, Steve."

As soon as Mutt entered the house, his mother ran to the door and stared at him. He took off his hat, revealing the black eye and knot of his forehead, and all he did was smile sheepishly.

"What happened to you?" worry was in her voice as she inspected him, pulling him into a hug after she was satisfied.

"Ow! Watch it Mom," he yelped, pulling away and holding his side. "And I'm fine. Me and Steve just got into a little bit of an argument that got of control fast,"

"Let's get you cleaned up,"

He was surprised she wasn't yelling at him for fighting...again. But then again, he wasn't complaining either. After he had cleaned up, he looked in the bathroom mirror at his face and sighed. Once he was done with that, he walked into the living room and found his mother reading. He figured he might as well tell her now.

"Mom..." he began, losing the nerve once she turned around.

He was trying to prove that he was a good person, and telling her that he had stolen something from her wasn't going to help him prove that. He let out a sigh and walked over to her, giving her a hug.

"I just wanted to say good night," he lied, heading back towards his room. "I'm not very hungry, so don't ask. I just wanna sleep,"

"Alright, Mutt. I'll see you in the morning,"

He gave her a small smile before entering his room and closing the door. After changing, he sat on to his and pulled his pillow into a sitting position so he could read another book. Once he was settled, he let his head fall back against the wall.

"Damn it!" he yelled, holding the place where he hit the sidewalk.

Being more careful this time, he rested his head against the wall and began reading as he tried his best to ignore the pains in his body from the fight. Mutt let out a yawn after the first few pages, but he wasn't tired. With another sigh, he realized it was going to be a long (and painful) night.

* * *

I can't think of anything witty to put here expect that if you review, you'll get a cool something that is so cool I can't even think of what it is.

Reviews are welcomed...and so is constructive critism.

S.M.Hoffman


	5. Secret Smile

**A/N-**So another quick update, hope you guys are enjoying this story so far. I would have had this up last night, but I saw The Strangers and was scared to death…and it takes a lot for a movie to scare me, it got to the point where me and my friend were considering seeing Indy again. But we braved it out and ended up loving the movie. This chapter isn't as long, but oh well. Enjoy!

Disclaimer-I own nothing! I may love Indy and all, but I sadly do not own him...same with everyone you may recognize.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

Mutt stood in front of the junkyard, leaning against the fence as Ben and Steve stood behind him. There was a blank expression on his face as he searched the area, a way of getting the medallion back forming in his head. He had been standing there for a few minutes, and he had no intention of moving any time soon. Even when Ben walked up next to him, Mutt still didn't movie.

"What do you plan to do, Mutt?" he asked as he looked at his friend's bruised face.

"I'll think of something, Ben." He muttered, finally looking away.

"And if you don't...what then?" Steve pointed out as he combed back his hair.

"Give me a few days and I will have something." Mutt looked at his friends' doubtful expression and smirked. "Don't worry! If I can get out of detention, I can get that medallion back."

"But this isn't the same as getting outta trouble at school, Henry..." Ben began.

The 17 year old shook his head and looked at the junkyard again before leaving, not really sure where he was going. After a few steps, he looked back and saw his two friends still standing by the fence.

"Are you coming or not?" Mutt asked as he put his hands into his pockets.

"Where exactly are we going?" Steve wondered as they began walking again.

"We're just walking until something comes up," the teenager answered as he kicked at a rock.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"I'll be back in a few hours,"

Mutt looked up from the book he was reading to see his mother towards the door.

"Where are you going?" he asked, sitting up.

"Ox needs my help," she replied, holding some folders and a book.

"Why does he need you so much lately?"

"He says he's found something important, so...that's where I come in."

"Is he going anywhere exciting soon?" a huge grin came to his features at the promise of adventure, and his mother smiled at the look in his eyes.

"Not likely, Mutt." She laughed and opened the door.

"Does it have anything to do with those skulls?" the questions kept coming.

"I don't know," she began to leave the house. "I'll see you when I get home."

The 17 year old went back to reading his book, having nothing better to do. His walk with Ben and Steve only lasted for an hour before Mutt left them and went back home. He had planned on doing something with his mother since it was her day off but now he was stuck in the house, 'resting' as his mother put it; she didn't like the idea of him getting into more trouble in the state he was in, seeing as how Mutt kept complaining about how much his side was hurting from his fight. Mutt dog eared the page he was on before flipping through the whole thing, looking at the different diagrams and drawings. He stopped looking through it to read a few of the captions, finding the whole things interesting.

Mutt closed the book after a few minutes before sitting up, continuing to think of a way to get the medallion back. The sooner he got back the gold piece, the sooner he could stop feeling nervous every time his mother went into her room. He found himself starting to tell her about what had happened at times, but every time he lost the nerve and made something up or just dismissed it. Getting tired of just sitting on the couch, the 17 year old took and pencil and piece of paper before writing '_Went to museum to entertain myself. Be back before dark. Mutt._'. After reading over the not a few times, he grabbed some money and made his way towards the museum.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

He let out a whistle as he looked up at the building, walking inside and marveling at the inside. Mutt looked down at his jeans and leather jacket and felt strangely out of place in the museum, but he held his hat in his hand and began to walk around. With everything he saw, the more he was beginning to see why Ox loved history so much. Every artifact he saw amazed him, and he began to imagine his name under the case for the medallion...if that happened.

Mutt couldn't wipe the huge smile that was on his face as he walked from display case to display case, feeling like Christmas had come early. He didn't mind that there was nothing really 'entertaining' to do there, but he had no plans on telling his friends he had been to the museum just to go. As he read about this artifact and that, the teenager couldn't help but think about the excitement and adventure that went along with finding whatever it was he had been looking at for the moment.

After looking through the building at least twice, Mutt decided to head home for the day (or night, he had lost track of time) and tell his mother about all that he saw. The whole walk home, he pictured himself going off somewhere exciting (probably the next time Ox left) and finding something priceless like the artifacts he saw.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"Could you imagine the kinda of adventures these guys had looking for those things?" Mutt asked his mother over dinner, looking at her with wide eyes. "I mean, it must have been great!"

"And dangerous...looking for things like that can be just as dangerous, Mutt." She added, not looking at her son. "That's why I don't let you go with Ox when he goes looking for something,"

"What?"

"It's too dangerous for someone your age. Now finish eating,"

He sighed and began to eat again, a million thoughts running through his head. After a few minutes, he put down his fork and looked back up at his mother.

"Are you always gonna tell me I can't do something because it's dangerous?" he asked.

"Yes, but I know it won't stop you when you're older." She answered as she looked up at him. "Mutt, I know you want to do something exciting but right now you're just too young."

"I'm seventeen, Mom. I'll be eighteen in a matter of months...it's not like I can't take care of myself." He pointed out, keeping his voice down to avoid an argument. "If Ox doesn't leave to look for whatever it is he thinks he found until next year, can I go then?"

"We'll see," was all she said as she grabbed their plates and went to wash them. "Why are you so interested all of the sudden?"

"I don't know...it's interesting, that's all." He answered as he leaned back in his chair.

"You have to finish school if you want to make this your career."

"It's gonna be a hobby, Mom. I'll start my own business fixing up motorcycles and go with Ox whenever he finds something," Mutt explained, proud of that idea. "He'll need help and one day you won't be able to give him that help, and that's where I come in. And who knows, I might get that fortune and glory helping him."

"Ox isn't going to be around forever, Henry." His mother pointed out as she turned to look at him. "One day he isn't going to be there to provide the excitement you're looking for. What happens if you don't find that fortune and glory? You can't make a living off fixing other people's motorcycles,"

"I can if I become the best. Look at Ben's uncle...he's the best at fixing up motorcycles, and he makes a decent living." Mutt sat up straighter, hoping to get his point across. "I learned from him and I'll be the best with some practice,"

"Mutt I just want you to have a career that you can count on," she sighed. "You have no backup plan in case your idea fails..."

"You could at least have a little faith in me, Mom! And even if you don't, could you just pretend you do? I'm not asking you to like what I have planned, I just want you to support me and tell me that you trust me to make it work." He exclaimed, hurt by his mother's lack of faith in him. "Would you rather me join the military? Is that it?"

"Henry..." she began, but he cut her off.

"I'm not going to because of what happened, Mom. If Dad was here then I might have thought about joining," he explained as he got to his feet. "But Dad died because he joined the military! If he had just died from something else besides that, it would be different."

"Henry I'm not telling you to go join, I just want you to have something else in mind in case things don't go the way you plan."

Mutt shook his head and left for his room, knowing that if he said anything else it would lead to an argument. He sat on his bed and waited for her to walk into his room to continue their conversation, but she must have understood why he walked away because she didn't follow him. The 17 year old laid down and closed his eyes as he let out a small sigh, falling into a light sleep within minutes.

* * *

I can't think of anything witty to put here expect that if you review, you'll get a cool something that is so cool I can't even think of what it is.

Reviews are welcomed...and so is constructive criticism.

S.M.Hoffman


	6. Give It Up

**A/N-**Sorry for the wait but my school ended (for me at least cos I didn't have to take finals) on Tuesday and I've been suffering minor writer's block. But it's all gone now cos I bought Indiana Jones on DVD (the original) on Tuesday and Wednesday saw the new Indy movie for the second time with my friend…so ideas were flowing. This is probably going to be the last update for 9 days cos I'll be at leadership school for ROTC in San Antonio (starting Saturday) and seeing Sweeney Todd (the play) tomorrow. Anyways, hope you like this chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer-I own nothing! I may love Indy and all, but I sadly do not own him...same with everyone you may recognize.

* * *

**Chapter 6**

"Mom?"

When he didn't hear an answer, Mutt walked out of his room and looked in the kitchen. When he didn't see his mother there, he walked into the living room.

"Mom? Are you here?" he called out.

"In here, Mutt!" her voice sounded from the direction of her room.

As he walked in that direction, the 17 year old felt his heart beat increase with every step and panic began to seep into his veins. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he entered the room and walked over to the bed. His gaze fell on to the closet where his mother was in as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked, combing back his hair.

"Cleaning out some of this junk," she answered as she took down the un-marked box, looking through it once she put it on the ground. "That's strange."

"What's strange?" he swallowed nervously, waiting for her to accuse him of stealing her medallion.

"My father's medallion isn't in here,"

"Are you sure you put it in that box?"

"I put it in there years ago," she sighed as she looked over to him. "No one's been in this box since then."

"Maybe you just misplaced it, Mom. I'm sure it's here somewhere," he smiled as he moved to sit on the floor with her. "What's in here anyways?"

"Just some of my father's things," she replied as she watched her son shift the papers around. "Mostly maps and notes he took."

"Do you mind if I take it so I can look through it...just to see what he was interested in," Mutt asked, glancing up from a map he was holding.

"He was interested in what Ox is interested in,"

"Those crystal skulls?"

"No...Things that belong to dead people no one cares about," she laughed. "But you can look through it."

The teenager gave his mother a smile as he picked up the box, struggling to his feet. He began to walk out of the room and to his room when his mother's voice held him back.

"Mutt," he turned to look at her. "If you see that medallion, could you tell me?"

"What's it look like?" he asked, knowing he needed to get it back from the junkyard soon.

"It's bronze, has writing on both sides, and a red crystal in the middle." She described the medallion to him, confirming that it was the same one; although he had no idea why he was hoping it was another one.

"I'll keep an eye out for it," he smiled and walked to his room.

He dropped the box on to his bed and sat next to it, putting his head in his hands as he thought about his situation. Letting out a soft sigh, the 17 year old left his room and made his way out of the house; he needed to tell Steve what was going on.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

"We need to get that medallion back tonight," were the first words that left Mutt's mouth as he walked into Steve's room.

"What?"

"She found out it's not in the box today,"

"Does she know you took it?" Steve asked, putting some things into a bag.

"No, she doesn't know..." Mutt stopped talking and watched his friend pack. "Are you going somewhere?"

"I'm leaving," was all Steve said.

"When?"

"Tonight."

Mutt stood in the middle of the room in silence. Once he let the words sink in, he walked over to the door and shut it as he faced his friend.

"What do you mean you're leaving?" he asked.

"I'm leaving this house and never coming back." Steve spoke to him like he was a child. "And no, no one else knows...I would like it to stay that way, Mutt."

"How could you just leave your family like that?"

"Simple," Steve shrugged as he sat on his bed and looked at his friend. "I don't think about what I'm leaving behind, or who."

"But I need you to help me get back the medallion!" the teenager hissed, angry with his friend for what he was planning on doing.

"Why do I need to help you?" Steve combed back his hair, glaring at Mutt. "I'm not the one who stole it. Besides, I don't have time to help you get arrested and then leave before morning."

The 17 year old just looked at him, shock on his face. He didn't think Steve was serious about leaving, but now he was starting to think differently. Shaking his head, Mutt turned and opened the door before walking out. On his way out of his friend's house, he noticed Riley sitting in the living room.

"Hey Riley," he said as he walked over.

"Mutt!" Riley smiled, happy to see Mutt after a week. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing...just I'm kind of in a little situation and your brother won't help me." He decided to not mention anything about Steve leaving. "I've gotta go. I'm gonna see it Ben will help,"

"He probably will," Riley assured, watching Mutt leave. "After all, you are his best friend."

"I'll see you later, Riley." Mutt muttered as he left the house, heading over to Ben's house.

As he walked down the street, he couldn't help but think if he did the right thing. When the thought of going back and telling Steve and Riley's mother about what he knew Steve was going to do, he stopped walking and looked back. He wanted to tell them because he knew Steve wouldn't make it on his own, but something kept him from walking back. Sighing, Mutt continued towards Ben's house and knocked on the door.

"What do you want?" was how Ben's father greeted Mutt when he opened the door.

"Is Ben here?" Mutt asked, feeling uncomfortable under Ben's father's gaze.

"Ben! It's for you!" he disappeared only to show Ben at the doorway.

"What do you need, Mutt?" Ben questioned, puzzled at his friend's reason for being at his door so late.

"I need your help," Mutt answered.

"Get Steve to help you, I have nothing to do with any of this."

"Steve isn't going to help me," he explained, hope slowly leaving him.

"Then you're outta luck, Henry." Ben began to close the door and Mutt began to panic again.

"He's leaving, Ben!" he let out a sigh when his friend opened the door again. "He won't help me because he's leaving tonight. You wouldn't have to do anything except keep an eye out for trouble. And if I get caught without the medallion, I need you to go in and get it for me."

Mutt looked at Ben as he thought it over, worry starting to seep into him as the silence dragged on. After a few moments of silence, the 17 year old cleared his throat.

"Please Ben," he whispered. "I can't get it back on my own."

"When do you want to meet?" he finally answered, a smirk on his face.

"In three hours at the end of the street," Mutt chuckled as he began to walk away. "I promise you won't get caught."

Ben just shook his head and shut the door, leaving Mutt by himself. Taking a deep breath, he made his way back to his house and thought about how he was going to pull it off.

* * *

I can't think of anything witty to put here expect that if you review, you'll get a cool something that is so cool I can't even think of what it is.

Reviews are welcomed...and so is constructive criticism.

S.M.Hoffman


End file.
